Turkey Hunting with a Pellet Rifle?

[Marc]

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I believe I am going to give it a try this season...

Probably going to purchase a Hatsan Flash PCP air rifle in .22 or .25 caliber.  I am leaning towards the .25 as it seems to be a bit more accurate (from my research), and that extra "power" makes me a bit more comfortable.

The new pellet rifles are amazingly accurate, and light-weight...  Head shots are still a must, so I see it being a bit more challenging than using a scatter gun.

I hunt some ranches that are close enough to houses to cause disturbance, and I have also hunted near a horse ranch in which the shotgun really disturbs the horses...  Seems like a good avenue to get opportunity to hunt some new areas, leave a smaller footprint when I hunt...  And maybe kill some time "plinking" on slow days hunting....

Anyone here ever hunted turkeys with a pellet rifle?

[GobbleNut]

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I don't know much about air rifles, Marc, so I really have no authority to be making judgement about their use in turkey hunting.  I know that California (and perhaps some other states) allow their use in certain situations and/or areas where safety is an issue, but I'm not sure how many other states allow it.

Having heard about CA legalizing them several years ago, my first thought was that the margin of error in shooting a turkey with one,...that is, between killing the bird and crippling it,...was, and still is, a concern.  I can only imagine the press hunters would get from having a bunch of gobblers running around in urban areas with their beaks shot off or missing an eye or the like. 

Again, just my initial thought process on the practice....

[Marc]

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Having heard about CA legalizing them several years ago, my first thought was that the margin of error in shooting a turkey with one,...that is, between killing the bird and crippling it,...was, and still is, a concern.  I can only imagine the press hunters would get from having a bunch of gobblers running around in urban areas with their beaks shot off or missing an eye or the like. 

Again, just my initial thought process on the practice....

Generally it would appear to be head-shooting only.  The consensus of people I know that have used them, is that it is a clean kill or a clean miss...  The only two people I have talked to that have killed with both archery and pellet rifles seem to think that there is less likelihood of crippling with a pellet rifle, than with body shooting with a bow.  I think the biggest risk would be shooting at a strutting bird, missing the head and putting one accidently into the body.

Pellet rifles today are capable of putting up groups of 1/2-3/4" groups at 50 yards (which is considerably further than I would shoot).

 I have a suspicion that killing a bird with a pellet rifle will be considerably more challenging than with a shotgun...  I will NOT be able to snap shoot, and will have to pull a bird into a shooting lane with minimal gun movement.  Good chance I will pull out the shotgun at some point for sure...

And, if I am not confident in my shooting, I might not even attempt a bird with the pellet rifle this season.  One of the ranches I hunt has a ground squirrel problem, and I will probably attempt to reduce their numbers and get confident before blindly attempting to kill a turkey.

There are some videos on YouTube with pellet gun turkey hunting, but they are relatively uninformative.  Shot placement, setting up (without a commercial blind), pellet choice, etc...  Are all questions I will be attempting to learn.  Not to mention I know nothing about scopes, except I need a thin reticle (for fine target placement).

[dirt road ninja]

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If you only plan on head shooting, why not go with a .177 as the match grade pellet selection is far greater than the calibers you mentioned. I ask this question without ever looking into turkey hunting with air rifles. That said I’m a fan of the Hatsan. Lot of gun for the money and can keep much more expensive equipment honest.

[Greg Massey]

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Good luck trying the pellet rifle , i will just stick with my shotguns .. i like eating turkey myself...

[Marc]

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If you only plan on head shooting, why not go with a .177 as the match grade pellet selection is far greater than the calibers you mentioned. I ask this question without ever looking into turkey hunting with air rifles. That said I’m a fan of the Hatsan. Lot of gun for the money and can keep much more expensive equipment honest.

I'd consider the .22 caliber...  But it seems that the .25 caliber is deemed a bit more accurate, better in wind, and a bit more versatile for pest control (such as skunks).

From my understanding, the .177 is a bit more limited for other hunting and pest control (such as squirrels, skunks, etc.).

I do zero rifle shooting, and have no idea what to look for in a scope though.

[crow]

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some air rifles have a reverse or double recoil and will tear up even good high power rifle scopes, for those models they sell special air rifle scopes.

I'm not familiar with the model air rifle your talking about,
I have a RWS and it needs the air rifle scope.

Mine is a .177 and it kills squirrels but could be better.
 if I was getting one for your purposes I would go with the .25
always use enough gun 

I have hunted them in the fall with a flintlock rifle, I think 50 yards is being optimistic, not because of your guns power but because of the movement of your target for head/neck shots.

I would brush up on my 40yd dash in case you "crease" one, like the old days of shooting 2 3/4" lead
shells 

[Spitten and drummen]

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I have a .25 cal airforce condor ss. That thing is accurate as all get out and packs a wallop. I have body shot squirrels at 50 yards and dump them. There is no doubt that it would crush a turkey with a head shot.

[FullChoke]

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A quick check on Youtube shows quite a few videos of successful air rifle turkey hunts. Just like with your shotgun, you need to have a clear understanding of the full capabilities of the gun and yourself.

FC

[dejake]

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Not legal in my state.

[fallhnt]

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No way

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[eggshell]

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The last two years squirrels have eaten all my peaches. I decided, "no more" and last year I bought a ruger Blackhawk pellet rifle with a scope in .177 caliper. It also came with very nice fiber optic open sites that work well. My first impression was how heavy it was built. It only took me maybe 10 shots and I could group inside a half dollar at 30 yards off a rest. It is 35 yards off my deck to my peach tree. I sat on my deck in my porch rocker with a shooting stick and plucked squirrels out of my peach tree. Not everyone was a clean kill, but they didn't get away. A squirrel's hide is far tougher than a gobblers head I suspect. I would say effective range on a gobbler would be 20 yards with 25 being long range. I also think the heavier 25 would have a more severe arch, but don't know for sure. The .177 is fast. I bought mine as a cheaper, quieter and safer down range way to dispatch my problem, but I was surprised how loud this thing is. I also thought the wife could use it but it's too heavy for her. I say learn your gun and go for it if it's legal. Keep your range tight and have your gun sighted properly and I bet you'll have great results.

[GobbleNut]

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First of all, I have no problem with the idea of allowing the harvest of turkeys (or other game) with restricted weapons,...and your doing so, Marc (or others) is fine by me. 

However, my thoughts on this subject go far beyond the concept of shooting turkeys with a pellet gun,...and here's why:

It is my understanding that the reason this practice is even being considered is because the areas where it has been legalized are urban/suburban areas.  That is, there are a lot of people around and allowing traditional shotguns would present a danger to the public.

Assuming my understanding of this situation is correct, then this entire idea gets considerably more complicated,...not from the standpoint of shooting turkeys with a pellet gun, but from the standpoint of public perception and the possible negative "PR" (public relations) hunters could end up getting from this.

Regardless of how accurate these guns are, human error by itself is going to result in some turkeys being crippled and getting away.  Again, how many gobblers are going to be running around in front of people,....many of whom are not hunters, and quite a few who are against hunting altogether,...that have their beak shot off or an eye shot out (or something similar)?

My question is:  Is it worth the risk to hunting's image to be doing this?  Now, I'm all for creating hunting opportunity.  But I sometimes wonder if we are not shooting ourselves in the foot by trying to hunt stuff in situations like this. 

Assuming turkeys are a problem (which we all know they are becoming in some urban areas), why aren't we promoting the trapping and transplanting of those problem turkeys to more rural, public areas where they would create traditional hunting opportunities?  ...Areas where the potential for conflict between hunters and non-hunters would be minimal? 

In addition, how long is it going to be before an "innocent public bystander" ends up getting shot?  ...And what do you think the public response to that is going to be?  ...In California of all places? 

In summary, I think we hunters do some really stupid stuff just to be able to hunt something when, in the long run, it is going to really impact our future...

End of sermon,...just my thoughts for what their worth....take 'em or leave 'em

[eggshell]

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I wouldn't try it in an urbam area either. I live in the boondocks and other then my renter down the hill I don't have any close neighbors and the ones I do have are Hillbillys or farmers

[Marc]

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The last two years squirrels have eaten all my peaches. I decided, "no more" and last year I bought a ruger Blackhawk pellet rifle with a scope in .177 caliper. It also came with very nice fiber optic open sites that work well. My first impression was how heavy it was built. It only took me maybe 10 shots and I could group inside a half dollar at 30 yards off a rest. It is 35 yards off my deck to my peach tree. I sat on my deck in my porch rocker with a shooting stick and plucked squirrels out of my peach tree. Not everyone was a clean kill, but they didn't get away. A squirrel's hide is far tougher than a gobblers head I suspect. I would say effective range on a gobbler would be 20 yards with 25 being long range. I also think the heavier 25 would have a more severe arch, but don't know for sure. The .177 is fast. I bought mine as a cheaper, quieter and safer down range way to dispatch my problem, but I was surprised how loud this thing is. I also thought the wife could use it but it's too heavy for her. I say learn your gun and go for it if it's legal. Keep your range tight and have your gun sighted properly and I bet you'll have great results.

Interesting take...

As far as using an air rifle, my intention is not that it is safer, it is the noise pollution...   Hunting a 500 acre ranch, there are still horses, cattle, and houses around that ranch.  My pellet rifle is far more likely to carry further and injure someone than is my shotgun.  The shotgun is far more likely to generate complaints.

Same reasoning at my duck club with an increasing skunk population...  Late in the season the male skunks start fighting.  They make a hell of a commotion, and they spray when fighting.  While members in nearby cabins would understand why I fired my shotgun at 2 A.M (and have actually encouraged me to do so), it would wake everyone, and potentially negatively effect the duck hunting.

My primary personal incentive for attempting to hunt with an air rifle, is that I think it would be fun and challenging, and from what I understand quite ethical.

However, I would agree that the chances are as good or better that someone could be incidentally injured with a pellet rifle.  Partly due to the projectile traveling a further distance, and partly due to hunters having less respect for, and being less careful with where that projectile is fired. 

The foothills where I hunt, I would have to be awfully careless to make such a mistake though.  The hilly terrain pretty much prohibits a projectile from carrying long distances....

My impression of hunting with an air rifle, is that it will be more challenging than with a shotgun, and less difficult than with a bow.  There are aspects and learning to be done, and I look forward to that learning curve...  I will not utilize the air gun until I feel confident that I can consistently place the pellet...  I will take it out every trip and fire it, and tinker with it, even if I do not hunt with it though...  Probably attempt some ground squirrel control.